Bosom-board



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MER.

BOSOM BOARD. I No. 350,551. Patented Oct. 1.2, 1886.

MAW MM/MILL r a? UNITED STATES P T NT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. PALMER, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOIVA.

BOSOM- BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 350,551, dated October 12, 1886.

Application filed March 11,1886. Serial No. 194,821. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cedar Rapids, in, the county of Linn and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bosom-Boards, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction of bosom'boards by providing them with simple and easily-operated means for stretching the bosom of a shirt preparatory to ironing.

The invention consists in a novel construction and arrangement of devices for the abovenamed purpose, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and described.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a plan view of the invention as applied to a shirt; Fig.2, a similar view of the same with the shirt detached; Fig. 3, asectional side elevation of the same, showing the preliminary positions of the stretcher; and Fig. 4, a longitudinal section of the board on the line y z with the stretcher set as in use.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts.

The board A does not differ essentially in form from some other bosom-boards in general use. It should, however, have an extension at the upper end, substantially as shown, around which the neekband of the shirt is fastened when the board is in use. To prevent warping, the bottom of the board is preferably provided with a transverse strip abutting on the end of the board, as shown. In the outer edge of this strip, or in the lower end of the board, is formed an angular groove, e,which in practice I make of the peculiar form shown. I also chamfer the upper portion of this edge of the board somewhat, as representcd, or round it, to allow the cloth to be drawn over it smoothly. In the sides of the board, near the ends, are formed holes or recess(2s b, to serve as fingerholes in the operation of the device. Inthennder side of the board I make two longitudinal grooves, d, to receive the limbs of a wire bail, O, pivoted to the board by means of the pin 0 a considerable distance back from the bottom of the board. The outer portion of the bail is turned upward and preferably curved inward, and

forms a bearing for the grooved rear edge of the clamp B. One edge of this clamp corresponds in length with the width of the board,

and is preferably chamfered on the lower side, so as to match the lower angle of the groove in the board when in'its locked position. The opposite edge of the clamp is offset, as shown, and in the offset is a groove, a, somewhat wider than the diameter of the bail-wire at the opening and narrower than the same at the bottom. The length of this offset corresponds with the distance between the limbs of the bail. The bail is slightly flexible, and the clamp should be about the width of the space between the transverse portion of the bail when in the closed position shown in Fig. 4

and the bottom of the groove in the board, or ,slightly wider, so that the bail is strained a little when in that position.

In the operation of the invention above described the board is first inserted in the shirt in the usual way, and the collar buttoned behind the neck-piece of the board.' The front of the shirt is drawn smoothly down, and the position of the transverse part of the bail found by the thumb and finger. Over this bail,with

a thickness of cloth each side of it, is placed the groove of the clamp, which, being flaring, holds the cloth tightly when pressed down. The forward or upper edge of the clamp is then pressed down into the groove e, as indicated in Fig. 3. As the board is supposed to lie on a table, it is necessary at this point to raise it, so as to allow the bail to drop down somewhat and make room for the clamp to enter the groove. To do this the operator uses the first finger of each hand in the finger-holes b, manipulating the clamp at the same time with the thumb and second finger. The final movement is made by pressing the clamp and board down upon the bail, which, as it assumes the position shown in Fig. 4, throws the rear of the clamp above a line drawn through the center of the pivot c and the forward bearing- .point of the clamp, and thus locks it securely, at the same time stretching the bosom of the shirt, as will be evident.

The advantages which arise from this construction are chiefly the following: By means of the flaring groove in connection with the bail I am able to catch the cloth with the clamp and hold it tightly by the simple operation of pressing the clamp down over the cloth 011 the bail; consequently all the cloth taken up in the subsequent movement of the clamp represents so much positive stretch of the garment. By pivoting the bail so that it drops down and combining with it the clamp, as described, I am able in the final movement of the device to secure,in addition to the weight of the heard, all the downward pressure that may be desired, and the ultimate position of the board serves to lock the clamp securely in place. In the case of those boards in which the movement of the clamp is the reverse of this the tendency is, when the downward pressure is brought to bear upon the clamp, to elevate the other end of the board unless quite heavy or held down by some fastening device.

It is not necessary to the successful operation of the device that the bail should be curved inward at the foot, as shown. The form shown tends to impart strength to the bail; but the principal object of this particular construction is to facilitate the engagement of the clamp, the inwardly-curved sides of the bail serving as guides for the ends of the grooved offset when in the vertical position indicated by the dotted lines in. Fi g. 3. Neither do I regard it as absolutely necessary that the groove in the bottom of the board or the edge of the clamp engaging therewith should be of the precise form shown, as the clamp will operate though the edge be formed in various ways and fitted to variously-shaped grooves.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the board A, having the longitudinal grooves (Z on the under side and the groove 0 in the end,'the bail O, pivoted within said longitudinal grooves, and the removable elamp B, having the flaring groove (1, all constructed, arranged, and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the removable clamp B, having the flaring groove (1, the slightlyflexible bail 0, adapted to swing below the bot tom of the board, as specified, and the board A, having the end groove, 6, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testin'iony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE E. PALMER.

\Vitnesses:

N. BOURNE, FRANK CLARK. 

